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DETAGHABLE HOOK. No. 287,115. Patented 001. 28, 1888.

' Nirn `STAT-13s irren..

Afinar HICYKMAN E. FOSTER, OF DECATIIR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VILLIAM H. AOUFF AND JAMES M. ISVELInA BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

DETACHABLVE H OOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent `No. 287,115, dated October 23, 188?.

Application filed April 9, 1883. (No model.) i

T all whomj t may concern Be it known that I, HicKMiiN E. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detachable Hooks, of which the vfollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of my invention is to provide Io an improved detachable' hook of such construction that it may be securely held to the object to which it is attached, and yet, when desired, may be readily and instantly disconnected therefrom. 1

To this end my invention consists, iirst, in the combination, with the hook, of a pawl or trigger arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described, whereby by tripping the pawl the hook will be at once detached, 2o and secondly, in providing means whereby the hook may be locked in position and guarded against accidental displacement.

My invention further consists in certain other details of construction, hereinafter de- 2 5 scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figures l, 2, and 3 yare views of one form of hook embodying my invention, Fig. 1 show- 3`o ing the same in side elevation, one-half of the shank or body being broken away, for better illustration, Fig. 2 being a view in rear elevation, and Fig. 3 showing the position of the parts after the pawl has been tripped. Fig.

3 5 4 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of a hook embodying my invention and applied to a pulley-bl0ck. Fig. 5 is a view in rear elevation 5 and Fig. 6 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in side 4o elevation, of my improved hook as applied by a rigid connection to a plate adapted to be bolted to a support.

A designates the shank or body of the hook, through the forks a of which passes the pin a',

4 5 upon which is pivotally hung thehook-mouth B, in suoli man ner that Ythe pivotal point shall.

be slightly back of the point of suspension for the weight. The rear end of the hook-mouth B is furnished with the ratchet or notch b, into 5o which catches the shoulder c of the pawl C when the hook-mouth is turned, as shown 'in Figs. l and 4, into position for use. The pawl O is pivotally hung between and near the top ofthe forked arms a, and is operated by means of the cord or chain c', which is connected to 55 4the lock-pin D, operated bymeans of the cord d. This lock-pin, when in position, passes through the perforations c2 and b2, formed, respectively, in the pawl C .and ratchet b, and thus effectually locks thehook against any acci- 6o dental detachment, and it is also preferably passed across the hook-mouth and into the perforation b, thus securely retaining the object hooked within said mouth.

From the construction thus far defined it will be seen that when the pawl C is inthe ratchet I), as shown in Figs. l and 4, the hookmouth B is prevented from turning forward and remains attached to the object, butif, now, by pulling the cord c the pawl C is lifted, the 7o hook turns forward and is at once detached` The Ylock-pin D prevents accidental tripping of the pawl, and it will be noticed that the cords c and (l, by which this pawl is operated, are so connected to the pin that the pin will be iirst withdrawn before the pawl is tripped.

It will be understood of course that, if desired, the locking-pin in some cases need not extend across the hook-mouth, or may be entirely dispensed with, in which latter case the 8o cord d would be fastened directly to the' pawl.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the pin a is eX- tended beyond the sides of the forked arms a., and upon the ends of this pin is hung the -yoke E, to which is connected the hook-chain 8 5 E, furnished with the ring E2, adapted to fit over the point of the hook. This hook-chain may be of any suitable length, and its purpose is to enable the hook to be detachably connected to objects to which it would be otherwise 9o difficult or impossible to fasten it.

In Fig. 4 my improved hook is shown as attached by a swivel-joint to its support. The shank or body A is provided with a lug, c, which passes through a perforation in the support F, and is held therein by means of a riveted nut or other suitable device. The support shown in Fig. 4 is a pulley-block of ordinary construction. In Figs. 5 and 6 F designates a plate or disk, to which the square loo shank a is rigidly bolted by the retaining-nut a, and which has holes, to permit of its being points for the pawl, thus rendering the same more secure.

It is obvious that the construction above described may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not` wish to be 'understood therefore as limiting myself to the precise details set out.

My improved hook, while capable of useful application in a great number of connections, will be found Yof especial advantage in boatlowering and jib-tending apparatus, railwayswitchin g and wrecking apparatus, and, in fact, wherever it is desirable that a hook should be instantly and with certainty detached from its weight and without the necessity of slacking the tackle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to Ysecure by Letters Patent, is

l. Thecombination, with the hook-body, of the pivoted hookmouth having a perforated and notched end, a perforated pawl, and a locking-pin adapted to enter the perforations of said pawl and notched end, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the hook-body, of a pivoted mouth having a perforated and notched end, a perforated pawl, and alockingpin adapted to pass across said hook-mouth, and also to lock the parts in position, substantially as described. 35

3. The combination, with the hook-body, of the pivoted hook-mouth having notched ends, the,pawl, the locking-pin, and a tripping-cord connected to said locking-pin and to the pawl, 'substantially as described. y 4

4. The combination, with the hook-body, of the pivoted hook-mouth and hook-chainsecured to pin of the hook-body, and means vfor holding the mouth in position for use, substantially as described. 45

5. The combination, with the hook-body, of the pivoted hook-mouth, and means for holding the same in position for use, the hookchain andlocking-pin adapted to extend across said mouth and retain thechain therein, sub- 5o stantially as described.

6. rIhe combination, with the hook-body, of the pivoted hook-mouth having notched end, the pawl, the support, and a swivel-joint between the hook-body and the support, where 55 by the hook may be allowed to turn freely upon its support, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of March, A. D. 1883.

HICKMAN E. FOSTER.

In presence of- JNO. R. WILLIAMS, S. F. GREER. 

